3 cocktails for your New Year's Eve parties

To be honest, when I started Zelos and my Zealous Stories blog, I never expected to be posting so many cocktail recipes! But thanks to our fans and customers, we have a nice collection, especially using the small-batch tangerine delights from Citrus Scent of Memory. And what better time to look back on them all than as we get ready for New Year's Eve. Have a read below and think about bringing a touch of Greek island flavors to your own holiday party! 

It all started with the Renaissance, a Chios-inspired cocktail from local OverProof mixologists, Christos Mazarakis and Giannis Koutsouradis, whom we profiled in our series on Global Greek Gastronomy. 

FRIDAY NIGHT FUN! RENAISSANCE COCKTAIL

60 ml Skinos mastiha spirit*

20 ml fresh lemon juice

10 ml Luxardo maraschino liqueur 

7 ml Fernet Branca

1 barspoon Citrus Chian Tangerine Marmalade

A pinch of fleur de sel

PREPARATION

Shake all ingredients. 

Glass: Chilled martini glass. 

Garnish: Orange and Lemon zest

*Skinos mastiha liqueur is sold in the States but if you have a hard time finding it, substitute a gin, like Beefeater, that won't overpower the fragrances.

A REFRESHING VODKA AND CHIAN TANGERINE COCKTAIL FROM FLORIDA

Several months later, our fan, Christiane Lobo, sent us her own take on a Chian tangerine cocktail, using vodka and triple sec and, of course, we had to try it, too!

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 ounce of your vodka or gin of choice

1/2 ounce of triple sec

2 teaspoons of Citrus Chian Tangerine Marmalade

PREPARATION

Put all the ingredients in a tin shaker. Add a few ice cubes and shake, shake, shake.

Fill a tall glass with ice, pour the drink and top off with soda water.

Alternatively (our choice), shake with lots of ice, strain it and serve in a martini glass.  

A TANGERINE CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL FROM LITTLE ROCK

Definitely the most appropriate one for your New Year's parties, though, has to be this delicious champagne cocktail from fellow food blogger, Dina, at The Perks of Being Us. We were just thrilled that our artisanal Greek delights were inspiring throughout the US...even in Little Rock, Arkansas! 

Ingredients

Preparation

3 oz. gin or vodka

1 dollop (bar spoon) of Citrus  Chian Tangerine Marmalade

Juice of 2 limes

Champagne

Preparation

Shake all the ingredients with ice and strain them into a champagne flute. Top off with a little more champagne and garnish with a candied lemon or orange.

Buy the artisanal products in this recipe